HIGH POINT, N.C. — Being a parent, while rewarding, is no easy job. Thankfully, it's not something that has to be done alone.
Tasheoina Rhone has Tamaya Mathis.
"I love miss Tamaya! I know that she's always a text away. If I can't get on the phone I'm gonna get a text message from her like, hey, I seen you called, what's up? Is everything ok? She is very resourceful and if she doesn't know the answer, she's gonna find out," said young mother Rhone.
Mathis is a parent educator. She is a part of the YWCA of High Point's PAT Progam -- an acronym for "Parents As Teachers".
"People say "Oh, you can go here and do this, and try that," and it can be so overwhelming to someone who doesn't know who doesn't know where to turn to, someone who might be new in town, someone who is very young, a new parent doesn't know what to expect," Mathis said.
Catering to parents with kids ranging from prenatal to under age 5, Rhonde feels like she joined PAT at the right time.
"I went through like a really bad postpartum depression – prepartum depression, with just like having my son, as I wasn't expecting that at all, and the way that I was getting the phone calls, "Hey, are you ok? Do you need anything? It's ok!" It meant a lot to me," said Rhone.
However, the PAT Program is more than just a phone call. From access to diapers and baby clothes to the ability to meet other parents with monthly Group Connections, the PAT program wants to ensure parents have everything they need.
"It's just a way for parents to have the support system and a person/organization who they can turn to outside of family, outside of friends," Mathis said.
This expansive support system is one Rhone considers to be invaluable.
"It is certainly a happy place for me because of the resources because of the support, because of just the people in general, and the new connections we get to make," Rhone said.